This is the fourth book in Tana French's 'Dublin Murder Squad' series, but - like the others - it can be read as a standalone.
*****
Patrick and Jenny Spain and their two young children - Emma and Jack - living in an unfinished, decaying housing development in Brianstown (formerly Broken Harbor) Ireland are attacked.
Patrick and the children are dead and Jenny is barely alive.
Mike ("Scorcher") Kennedy and his rookie partner Richie Curran are assigned the case.
As usual with Tana French's books one of the detectives (in this case Scorcher Kennedy) has an unfortunate history with the murder locale. When Scorcher was a child his family spent summer vacations at Broken Harbor and it was there that his mother committed suicide.
Moreover, the tragedy apparently triggered mental illness in Scorcher's sister Dina, who has episodes of paranoia and erratic behavior.
When Scorcher and Richie begin to investigate the Spain calamity Patrick emerges as an early likely suspect. The recession has led to the loss of his high-paying job and the formerly happy family has been experiencing severe money problems.
The Spains have had to give up their SUV, their friends, their social life, their recreational activities, and a good part of their self-respect. Maybe Patrick wanted to end all the suffering? However, further investigation reveals that the Spains seem to have attracted a couple of stalkers: one human.....
..... and one elusive animal that ostensibly crawls through their house at will.
Questioning Jenny, the Spains' relatives, and their rather unsavory neighbors provides a number of clues to the crimes as does information gleaned from the Spains incompletely erased computer files. Scorcher and Richie don't agree about who the prime suspect should be, which leads to some friction between them.
However the two detectives seem to work well together and Scorcher thinks about a possibly enduring partnership. And - at least for this case - Scorcher can use the help. His sister Dina, seeing the name "Broken Harbor" in the news has had a break-down and Scorcher is compelled to take care of her.
I don't want to give away spoilers so I'll just say that this well-written story has compelling characters and interesting twists, all of which lead to a satisfying, believable conclusion. A great addition to Tana French's mystery series.
Rating: 5 stars
One day a nice-looking, well-mannered basset hound shows up at Hal and Barbara Borland's Connecticut farmhouse and makes herself at home. The Borlands name her Penny but soon learn that the dog lives elsewhere and is named Pokey. Pokey-Penny (as Hal calls her) is brought back to her original family but starts nipping at the local kids and is returned to the Borlands permanently.
Penny is a quirky gal with a mind of her own. She enjoys walks with the Borlands but also likes to take off by herself, returning tired and mud-spattered.
The basset hound visits local families to cadge treats and has her own 'charge account' at the butcher shop - where she's given bones.
Penny almost wrecks the living room chasing a ball and chews up Hal's hat. She hangs out with Hal when he's writing and shelters with Barbara during thunderstorms. When the basset hound is hungry she stands at the fridge.....and she can put away an ENORMOUS amount of food. The book has lots of stories like this about Penny, many of which will be familiar to dog owners.
In one of my favorite anecdotes Penny refuses her kibble, only deigning to eat canned dog food or cereal and milk. Wanting to use up the kibble they bought, the Borlands crush it and put it in the bird feeder. The birds don't like the kibble either and toss it on the ground....where Penny happily consumes it all (ha ha ha).
In another amusing tale, Hal relates that Penny has her own 'bus pass.' During the pooch's lone perambulations she sometimes waits at school bus stops to hitch a ride home. That's one smart dog!!
Unfortunately Penny has some bad habits as well. She chases trucks on the road and harasses the neighbor's cows - a big no no. When Penny can't be broken of these behaviors she's given away to a dog-loving family that lives in a safer environment...and one day Penny disappears.
In addition to stories about Penny Hal writes A LOT about nature: the changing seasons; flowers; trees; birds; rabbits, woodchucks; other animals; weather; temperature; rain; snow; thunder; lightning; etc. The descriptions are picturesque, but I didn't find these parts very interesting.
The last part of the book is composed of two rather long, fanciful stories - one by Hal and one by Barbara - of what may have happened to Penny. These two yarns read like children's tales and might make good bedtime stories....but again, not that interesting to me.
My favorite parts of the book are about Penny and I hope - wherever she went- that Penny had a good life. If you're a dog lover, you'll probably enjoy this book. It will make you smile.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author's estate for a copy of this book.
Rating: 3 stars
In this 19th book in the 'Inspector Lynley' series, the Scotland Yard detective and his team investigate the death of a feminist author. The book can be read as a standalone, but knowing the characters makes it more entertaining.
*****
Will Goldacre is a troubled young man who's afflicted with a deformed ear and a condition that seems to resemble Tourette's Syndrome - he sometimes vocalizes curse words and inappropriate phrases. After a break-up and attempted reconciliation with his girlfriend Lily, Will commits suicide by jumping off a cliff. This devastates Will's family, especially his mother Caroline Goldacre.
Caroline copes with her grief (in part) by working as an assistant to well-known feminist author Clare Abbott. When Clare dies suddenly during a book tour, the police take an interest. DS Barbara Havers of Scotland Yard, on the outs with the Detective Superintendent because she causes trouble and doesn't follow orders, desperately wants the case.
So - hoping Barbara can redeem herself - her mentor, DI Thomas Lynley arranges for Barbara to work the case with DS Winston Nkata.
Since Caroline Goldacre was in the adjoining hotel room when Clare died she comes under intense scrutiny. It turns out Caroline's quite a character. She's a liar; a manipulator; an interfering mother; a horrible mother-in-law; an indifferent wife, a jealous friend; and so on.
Then - when Clare's editor Rory (whom Caroline disliked) - is attacked, things start to look very suspicious indeed.
This is a traditional detective book, with Barbara, Winston, and Lynley questioning witnesses, getting search warrants, collecting evidence, putting together clues, etc....in an attempt to uncover the murderer.
There are a large array of additional characters in the story, including Caroline's cheating husband Alistair and his lover and Caroline's son Charlie and his estranged wife India.
At Scotland Yard, secretary Dorothea Harriman......
.....is determined to find tomboyish Barbara Havers a boyfriend (this is pretty hilarious).
There are also appearances by Lynley's lady friend Dairdre, a zoo veterinarian;
and psychological assistance dog Arlo - who's cute and sweet
I enjoyed the first two-thirds of the tale, which moved along at a brisk pace. Then the action seemed to slow down and the book became a bit of a slog. Some additional problems I had with the story: an unnecessarily long and detailed description of women being beaten and raped (and one being murdered); too many uncomfortable scenes of Lynley pursuing Dairdre - with whom he seems to have minimal chemistry; excessive information about Caroline's unfaithful husband and his paramour; ditto India and her new boyfriend. Also, certain aspects of Caroline's behavior were over-the-top and not credible (to me) and the book's conclusion wasn't 100% satisfying.
Still, I did like the detective/investigative parts of the book and got a kick out of the friendship/banter between Barbara and Winston. Barbara even 'cooked' Winnie a meal, which was quite entertaining. All in all, an okay addition to the series.
Rating: 3.5 stars
This 17th book in the 'Inspector Ian Rutledge' series is a prequel that harks back to the beginning of WWI, before Rutledge goes to war and returns suffering from shell shock (PTSD).
In 1914, Rutledge is a Scotland Yard detective courting a privileged young lady named Jean Gordon.
Like other women of her class, Jean is concerned mostly with clothes, socializing, going to balls, and maintaining her position in society. Jean's family isn't happy with Rutledge's job, and her father, Major George Gordon, gently suggests that Rutledge take up some other profession - like architecture. (This made me laugh. As far as I know, even in 1914, a person couldn't wake up one morning and decide "Today I'll be an architect."). Rutledge's sister and friends think Jean is the wrong woman for him, but hold their tongues once he gets officially engaged.
As the story opens, Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand has been assassinated in Sarajevo, and it's clear that Europe is on the brink of war - a conflict that will inevitably envelop Great Britain. As hostilities escalate, British men start to enlist in droves, inspired by patriotism and the belief that Great Britain and will emerge victorious in a few short months.
As some of his acquaintances march off to war Rutledge is investigating a string of homicides in towns across Great Britain. In each case, a man is found dead with a large amount of laudanum in his system. Rutledge is convinced the deaths are connected, perpetrated by a single killer. However Rutledge's boss, Superintendent Bowles, doesn't want to hear it.
Bowles' sole concern is making quick arrests, and he wants a local suspect nabbed for each murder, even if the evidence is sparse or non-existent. Bowles comes across as a jealous, unimaginative supervisor who looks for any excuse to chastise Rutledge, who's wealthier and better educated.
Rutledge more or less ignores Bowles instructions and pursues 'the real killer' across Britain. Rutledge essentially has to work alone, but gets secret tips from another detective, Chief Inspector Cummins, who doesn't think much of Bowles. (One has to wonder how a lackluster detective like Bowles becomes a Superintendent at Scotland Yard. LOL)
Rutledge's investigations take him away from London for days at a time, which distresses Jean - who wants her fiancé to escort her to dinners and parties. Jean also gets caught up in the excitement of war talk, especially when her friends discuss sending off their brothers, fathers, friends, and beaus. As a consequence, Jean pushes Rutledge to join the military.....apparently thinking he'll be gone for a couple of months and return covered in glory. (Jean and her friends seem to be very naïve, not realizing that soldiers - even English ones - die in war.)
Rutledge resists Jean's entreaties to enlist, feeling that his detective job is important, and that he does it well. And Rutledge does demonstrate intuition and smarts as he pursues the killer - a wily fellow who's been planning his crimes for a long time.
Though Rutledge dedicates most of his time to his job and his fianceé, he sometimes dines with his sister Francis - a parentless 20-year-old who's entering society, or visits with Melinda Crawford - a kind of surrogate mother who provides advice and support. Francis and Melinda are among the more savvy women in the book.....much more sensible than shallow Jean.
Through most of the book Rutledge drives back and forth across Great Britain in pursuit of the killer, whom he eventually confronts. In the end, Rutledge also enlists in the army, with consequences that play out in the rest of the series.
I liked the book, which has a suspenseful plot and engaging characters. The story also has an interesting historical perspective on an 'upper-class' segment of society that hopes for peace.....but must prepare for war.
I'd recommend the book to mystery readers, especially fans of non-traditional cozies.
Rating: 3 stars
Mia Dennett - an inner-city art teacher who grew up in a wealthy, prominent Chicago family.....
.....is abducted by Colin Thatcher, a low-level thug who collects debts and does odd jobs for his criminal employer.
Instructed to kidnap Mia and hand her over, Colin snatches the girl. He then has a change of heart and takes Mia to a primitive cabin in the Minnesota woods where he holds her for months.
The living conditions are horrific: it's freezing; bathing and clothes-washing are minimal, so their bodies reek; there's little food; there's nothing to do; and Mia is terrorized by her abductor.
Colin, meanwhile, knows that if they're found - by either the cops or his employer - his life is essentially (or literally) over.
The book is told from rotating points of view: Gabe - the detective assigned to the case;
Eve - Mia's mother;
Colin - the kidnapper; and Mia - the abductee. It also alternates between two time periods: before Mia is rescued and after Mia is rescued. This type of thing could get confusing but the author handles it skillfully and it's easy to follow the story. The book has an interesting premise and kept my attention (to a point) because I wanted to find out the circumstances of Mia's rescue. That said, however, the book moves excruciatingly slowly.
As the book proceeds the characters talk a lot about their backgrounds, and they all have a sad story. Eve's husband (Mia's father), a judge, was distant and controlling, concerned only with his career and public image.
Mia was a neglected child who could never please her father. Colin grew up poor but had a loving mother; when she got seriously ill his life fell apart. Gabe's a lonely guy without a family. And so on. The characters also provide detailed descriptions of their hour to hour activities and interact in a variety of ways, some of which are frankly not believable. I kept hoping the action would perk up and the plot would get more interesting, but it never did.
It's hard to drum up much sympathy for any of these characters. I did like Gabe, a talented, caring detective who was determined to find Mia and bring the perpetrators to justice. Many readers probably won't be surprised by the book's ending which is telegraphed at several points in the story. I thought the book was just okay. For me it doesn't live up to the hype which seems to surround it.
Rating: 3 stars
In this 16th book in the 'Jack Reacher' series, we get a flashback to the time Jack was an army MP. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
This addition to the series goes back to 1997, when Jack Reacher was an army MP (military police).
A young woman named Janice Chapman has been raped and viciously murdered in the town of Carter Crossing, Mississippi - just outside Fort Kelham Army Base.
The army brass, fearing a soldier may be blamed, sends two military cops to look into the case. One is sent to Fort Kelham, presumably to discover if a soldier committed the crime. At the same time Jack Reacher is sent to Carter Crossing, posing as a civilian. His job is to see what local law enforcement is doing about the crime and hopefully to deflect attention from the army.
Carter Crossing's sheriff, the beautiful Elizabeth Deveraux, rumbles Jack immediately. She's a former Marine, and she knows a military cop when she sees one.
Eventually Jack and the sheriff team up to investigate the rape/murder and Jack learns that Janice is not the first victim. Two other women have been killed in a similar fashon, but - because they were black - their deaths didn't attract much attention. It seems clear that a serial killer is at work in Carter Crossing.
The army is desperate to keep Fort Kelham out of the news for a number of reasons: some army units stationed there are regularly deployed to Kosovo, a fact unknown to the public; and one of Fort Kelham's high-ranking officers is the son of a powerful U.S. Senator.
Thus the army would much prefer the serial killer to be a civilian, and certain officers are willing to go to great lengths to prove this is the case. Jack Reacher is honest to the core, however, and won't stand for any misrepresentation of the truth.
There's plenty of action going on in the story: two more people are shot to death; Jack has violent altercations with some Carter Crossing rednecks; there's some romance; Jack eats many cheeseburgers and a lot of pie; Jack has altercations with soldiers sent to detain him; Jack has altercations with self-styled militias; and much more.
The book's plot is engaging, the characters are interesting, and Jack does a masterful job of detection. Though some officers try to pull the wool over Jack's eyes he is a very smart guy who figures out exactly what's going on.
My major criticism of the book is that it could have been 75 to 100 pages shorter. Some scenes are much too drawn out. At the beginning of the book for example, Jack walks into the Pentagon, and it takes (what seems like) forever for Jack to get from the building's entrance to a General's office. Each of Jack's footsteps is described in excruciating detail, as is every single person he passes, what they're wearing, their demeanor, their shoes, etc. Several other scenes in the book follow this same pattern, which is irritating and boring.
Overall, however, this is a good story that I would recommend for fans of action/thrillers and for fans of Jack Reacher.
Rating: 3.5 stars
